Knitting-machine.



J. H. GLENN.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. I915.

Patented May 2, 1916.

3 SHEETS*SHEET 1 nwnto'c L /fies (9f GLen/n Qmmm J. H. GLENN.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APILZO. 191s.

Patented May 2, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- III" 1 J. H. GLENN.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION r1150 APR. 20, 1915.

Patented May 2, 1916.

3 SilEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. GLENN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO CHARLES S.

WEIERMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. 3

KNITTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1915. Serial No. 22,652.

- The object of the invention is to provide a knitting machine of the character stated,

--which is especially designed and adapted for knitting a ribbed elastic fabric, such as a stocking top, and which embodies novel and improved cam mechanism for controlling the needles to obtain a desired knitting action.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic-view of the cam ring of the cam cylinder of a circular knitting machine, showing the arrangement of the cams for controlling one set of needles. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the arrangement of the cams for controlling the second set of needles. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section, taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1, through one side of the cam cylinder. Fig. 4 is an elevation on line H of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the star wheel and rotary cam member associated therewith. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of the adjustable primary cam of the needle controlling cams. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the stationary latch pin. Fig; 9 is a detail view of the butt ends of the short and long butt needles. Fig.'10 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of themachine. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal section of the same. Figs. 12 and 13 are reverse face views of a section of fabric produced by the machine. Fig. 14 is a transverse section thereof. Fig. 15 is a detail view showing the cam held retracted by the latch.

The present invention is intended to provide a machine for producing elastic ribbed stocking tops of the construction disclosed in my prior application filed Feb. 3,1915, Ser. No. 5944, wherein the fabric comprises two separate courses of threads each having long and short loops arranged in alternation, the long loops of each course of each thread being interlocked with each other and with the short loops of the adjacent course or courses of-the other thread. In producingthe required knitting action in the production of such a fabric use is made of two sets of needles in each row, one set having short butts and the other set long butts, in conjunction with a double set of cams in each row, whereby the needles are operated independently of each other to act upon the respective yarns or threads, one set acting on each yarn or thread. In the present structure a novel construction of cam mechanism is employed whereby the same fabric may be obtained by the use of but a single set of cams and a single yarn or thread in conjunction with each row of needles.

The fabric comprises thread courses A and B, arranged in alternation with each other, and of any desired weight and thickness. These thread courses are produced by two operations, by means of the respective sets of needles, from a single strand of yarn, instead of from two strands as in the structure disclosed in my application No.

5,944 aforesaid. Where the fabric disclosed is designed for use as a ribbed elastic stocking top, the stockings are continuously knitted upon acylin'der knitting machine of that kind employing a stationary needle cylinder and a revoluble cam cylinder con-.

trolling the action of the needles of the needle cylinder, the body portion of the stocking being knitted in the usual way, while the improved elastic top is knitted in 'novel manner by varying the'action of the needles. In the operation Iof'continuously making the stockings the toe portionsof completed stockings arefsevered from the tops of adjacent stockings and seamed in the usual way. It will, of course, beun'derstood that the elastic fabric maybe made and employed for any of the purposes for which it is adapted. 1 I

By reference to Figs. 12, 13 "and Hit will be seen that the course threads A are extended, like the threads B, transversely of the fabric in courses at desired intervals apart, and that the said threads A are knitted in so as to provide loops a, which are long in a vertical direction and short in a transverse direction, and other loo s a which alternate with the loops a an are long in a transverse direction and short in a longitudinal direction, while the threads B are knitted in so as to provide loops b similar to the loops a and loops 6 alternating with the loops 1) and similar to the loops a. As shown, the loops a of adjacent 1 outward or will cause contraction. of the meshes, adaptcourses are interlocked with each other and with the loops 1), forming forwardly projecting vertical, longitudinal wales a and rearwardly projecting intervening wales b, said wales being arranged in parallel relation to each other and thus giving the ribbed construction to the fabric. The Wales a stand out with a desired prominence from the face of the fabric, while the wales b by reason of 'the method of knitting, form with the body of the fabric a substantially smooth and even inner surface, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 12 of the drawings.

It will be observed that the loops b ofthe threads B pass forward through the adjacent loops a' of the threads A and interlock with each other, while the loops b of the threads B extend rearwardly from the loops 6 through the loops a and cross the bights of the wales a between the loops a and a and thus interlock with both sets. of loops a and a at their points of juncture. By this construction it will be seen that the long and wide loops at and a and b and 15 are knitted in a firm and-substantial manner, while at the same time the Weave is such as to impart substantially equal loops and curvatures to the threads A and B, so that the fabric may expand and contract in a substantially uniform manner throughout. The construction further provides threads in which the loops or wave portions are such as to secure extreme elasticity in the loops a and b, which are capable of straightening out transversely, and extreme high wave length lines in the loops a and b longitudinally of the fabric, by which con traction and expansion of these loops in a longitudinal direction is freely permitted. Thus when the tubular stocking top is drawn pulled upon longitudinally it ing the stockin to snugly fit the limbof the wearer, whi e any lateral pull or strain will permit the stocking to distend or expand elastically in a lateral or transverse direction, while contracting in the longitudinal direction? Extreme elasticity ,of the fabric is thus gained without imposing undue strain thereon, the ease of motion of the threads upon one another adapting the fabric to expand and contract without expanding or contracting the individual threads,

of breakage ,two sets of needles is employed, the needles of the sets being arranged in alternation with each other. The needles C of one set are each provided with short butts or projectionsc, while the needles ()"of the other set are provided with long butts or projections 0. One needle of each of these sets with its butt portion is fragmentarily illustrated in Fig. 9. These needles are adapted for cooperation with and are controlled by a set of cam devices D upon the rotary cam cylinder D, of the knitting machine For the purpose of forming the heels of stock ings on knitting machines of this character, it is customary to increase the length of the needles carried by one-half of the needle cylinder E and to provide an additional or duplicate set of cams to control the longer needles, but any suitable arrangement of the needles and construction and arrangement of duplicate cams for this purpose may be employed.

In the action of the machine each needle knits-once in a cycle, occurring once in each second revolution of the cam cylinder, and each needle picks up two thread courses before casting its stitch, so as to provide a double loop weave at every stitch. In the structure disclosed, the cam devices 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 may be the usual cams commonly employed, while the cams 6 and 7 are additional cams employed for cooperation with the usual cams to adapt the machine to produce my improved fabric. The cam 7 comprises a body or plate provided with two cam ribs or projections 7 and 7 which intersect at their upper ends and thence diverge in a downward direction in inverted V-formation, the cam rib 7 being approximately of one-half the thickness or extent of projection of the cam rib 7*. In practice, the cam members may be adjustable in any suitable manner, so that the cams 6 and 7 may be rendered inoperative to adapt the machine to knit in the usual way to produce an ordinary stocking body, and so that said cams may be disposed for operation to change the action of the needles to produce the ribbed elastic stocking top. The cam 7 is adjustable in a direction transversely "of the needle cylinder to regulate the action of the cam members 7 and 7 and the cam mechanism as a whole, the said cam members 7 and being employed to control the primary vertical movements of the needles to vary and control their action on each revolution of the cam cylinder or one-half the working cycle. The cam member 7 is movable or projectable inwardly to dispose the cam rib into the path of the butts of the long butt needles, in which position the cam rib 7 will be disposedin the path of the short butt needles and act only upon said needles, the butts c of said short butt needles being passed by the cam member 7, while the butts c of the long needles C lie in the path of and are engaged by the cam rib 7. When the cam 7 moves backward or outward to normal position, however, the cam rib 7 is withdrawn from the path of both sets of needles, but the cam rib 7" still projects inwardly so as to be engaged by the butts c of the needles C.

In the drawings the dotted lines (v and y respectively indicate the lines of motion or courses of travel of the long butt needles and=the short butt needles. In the rotation of the cam cylinder, with the cam.7 in the. first-named position, the butts of. the long buttlueedles williengage the cam?" and be elevated thereby and follow the course in-v dicatedaby the dotted :lines 90, while the short butt needles will miss the cam 7 but strike the camfl and-be caused-to take the course indlcatedby thedottedlines y, while when the cam 7 is withdrawn to the normalsecondsnamed position both sets of :needles will a miss the cam 7? but: the'butts c of the needles willz striketh e cam.7 and fol? low. the course indicated by the dotted line I .y, the butts c of? theneedlesG meanwhile taking the path as which converges with the path an at s the apex of; cam .2; The first. ac-

t1on takes place during the first revolution on firstghalf {of {the working cycle. of athe cam s5x y' tder, whilethe second; actiom takes place upon ithe second Ereyolution ion-second; half ofl the working cycle of s, the cam cyl'm-i den In the. first-action the long biutt ineedles Willa firsts: be elevated; by. the cam-i 7%, then;

bottom of cam 4 and'it, will be noticed that the two loops in passing off will close the latch over the first loopof the new cycle, which has just been taken up by the hook of the needle during the-descent ofthe latter 7 cast over the end of the needle when the lat- 3e ter reaches the bottomofcam 4, during the first revolution of the cam cylinder in its next: succeeding cycle, the needle hook hav-, ing in the meantime taken on the first thread of the new cycle while descending 5 along the side of the cam 4.- VVhile each needle will rise and fall several times in'a cycle the long butt needle only knits at the bottom ofi cami2 because it was elevated highenough in passing around-=cam.7 to

drop the loops ofthread-ontothe shank of the needle over the freeend: of the open. latch. Any rise andifall ofithe needle. withthe thread above. the latch only. returns the thread to the hook ofithe needle. Likewise the shortibutt needle only knits at thebot tom. of. canv because it: has lifted high enough at the-topiofs'camfito' castaits loops down oven the free end of F the open .latch.

Duringithefirst IG'VOliLiilOH 10f; :1 cycle the long 'butta needles; .rise over: the apex of foam 1 7 ?7 9, pass downwardly along cams .3 andi 4i and; rise along cam v5, while during: the

second i revolution; ofi the: cycle these; I long:

casting both loops down over butt needles descend ialong; the face. oficams i 7? and 2,1 thence rising; along; cam 6, descending; along calm 4k andZ rising alongv cam.

Duringithe fiiSti revolution 20f fagcycle the shorti huttg needlsidscend a lonig the: side of 1 10*; cam: ,7? "and cam :2; thenceTisi-ng, descending and rising ealong: i the. 1 surfacesof s cams:.6-, 4; and respectively.- During'the. second k'evoe lutiem oi? the cycle the short% huttl needles passb'ioth {38mg 7? and 7?,"engagi-ugslirst:with the.- up'per; face. of cam l 2,3 thence, with i the fa'cesofi'cams 3, 4 %and5;1imturn.;, The mechanism shiftinggthe cam =7 1 in: and but %to alternatelylshiftitheacam memberss 7?-and i 7'. into and? out offthepath oi the needle-butts comprises a suppprtinggbrackietl E. omwhiichhthie-cam :memberfl is -.slildahlyv suppprted'i and? for. movement thirough an openingg in the wall iofithe cam l cylindere Thevcamfl': is previddi m with fan'- -outwardly=;extending stem @or: f the outer r pprtijom 1 of 2' isfvredueed ito-i form. a; shoulder f's," and is movable lngifiudimnyfl ght: a gaideechamber formed Kin; gthei-braeketiE ,theereduced ippne 40 travel zacross :to the cam 13', then pass .down-.

wardlyyhetween ;the cams '2,- 3,1 4% and i 6 2 and 1 then pass upwardlyrb'etween the. cams .4 i and 5,. wlnlei the Shier-'15s butt. needles. .1 wilii strike= the. cam, 7 3; pass. .dewnwardly between 1 45; ll and g 2,; and i then. pwardly-.- between; the cams 2 26;: then ,dewnwardly. between i the cams. 4;; 3 6 and i them upwardly, be.- tween .the. cam-s 4 2 and 15. In the second half of (the khitting action .th ei longbntfl sets of? 50s needles will sniiissthe; cam 7: anel istrikie the ca mil? theme-fellowing course while the:

'gaging gwith .cam 32: and ztalging tliei -cou1'sg.. -m.

and ifinalljyi-course Each long bilttineedle picks .up 11 41909; vof yam i while p ssingsdowngwardly along; cam

4 lat ieachi oi ithewtwo revolutions comprising;

the-cycle, thus havingstwo lcops of 'yam to slip idewni, ,overrthe free: end lot the lowered 2 60a latch when the; Mag butt 5 needke rises to its, highestz point at ithEi/Op, of zthie cami .7? when; th ;:-cam'-- carrier-7 {is in itstiimermost; ppsi tion at: the: begima ing oi eacl1 icycle- 'Ihesev two loops of {yam iare castsovemthe point of 6S3 the-- needle dusiug its-i descent e1 around: thepermitted 7 within the recesses m to move inwardly tion of the stem projecting outwardly beyond the said bracket. A coiled spring It is disposed within the chamber and between the outer end wall thereof and the shoulder f, and operates when compressed and released to shift the cam 7 on its inward motion. Mounted to revolve upon the outer end of the stem 7 is a star wheel I havin a desired number of teeth 2', four of which are shown arranged equidistantly around the periphery of said wheel. The star wheel I is adapted to engage a fixed abutment P disposed so as to acuate it once on each revolution of the cam cylinder. The wheel I is loosely mounted upon the stem f. between a washer j interposed between it and the bracket E and a pin is projecting diametrically through the stem 'and having its end portions disposed on opposite sides of the latter. Carried by and preferably formed integrally with the wheel I is a rotary cam mem fluted to provide a cam surface consisting of alternating elevations m and depressions m equal in number to the teeth 2', the elevations m being arranged diametrically opposite each other and at an angle of 90 to the depressions m, which are likewise arranged diametrically opposite each other. These elevations and depressions are adapted for cooperation with the ends of the pin or projections" k, so that on successive and; alternative quarter revolutions of the star wheel the stem and cam will be moved outwardly by the cam surfaces m and the spring 9 compressed and tensioned and then by the recession of the pin is under the reaction of the spring, so that on one revolution of the cam cylinder the cam 7 will be retracted while on. the next revolution of the cam cylinder said cam 7 will be projected, the cam 7 being therefore alternately and intermittently projected and retracted to control the needles in the manner heretofore described.

In the type of machine described in the present application two sets of knitting needles are provided one set'being disposed in a plane above the oth'erj or, lower set; of needles occupies but one-half of Each set 7 the entire circumference of thecyIinderE, the lower set of needles," moreover, being positioned on one side of the, cylinder, while the other or upper set aejjlocated on the diametrically opposite side' of the'cylinder. By this construction,'aft er the cam 7 becomes disengaged froi'ni 'the" b'utts of the needles, it will have to "make a complete half revolution of its are inthis relativelyidle ost.

her or sleeve l having its outer portion cam 7 to be projected by ition's of the cam rin orbit before again contacting with "said needle butts. ,WVhen s, not 'in engagement with the actuating mechanism. said'cam laterally, 'by' means of which the in and out adjustment of the cam is permitted Without interference from the needle butts. j Projecting from the rear or followin side of the supporting bracket E, (Fig. 5% is a stud 11. supporting a fixed latch pin 11/ notched at its outer end n to engage one side of the aperture 0 in the stationery latch plate 0. This is designed for use when it is desired to throw the cams 7 and 7 out of the paths of the needle butts while the body of the stocking is being knitted. When in this position the star wheel I misses the stud P, and hence is not turned as the cam cylinder revolves. The fixed latch pin n also carries a spring 0 which engages the teeth 71 of the star wheel I so as to prevent excessive revolution of the latter when it strikes the actuating stud P. On the first quarter revolution the pin is will engage the cam surface m and retract the cam 7 while tensioning the spring j, and on its succeedingmovement the pin lc will engage the recesses m, thus permitting the the expansion of said spring. As a result, the cam 7 will be controlled and alternately shifted into its two working positions to govern the action of the needles as hereinbefore set forth. Hence it will be seen that the knitting action described and fabric produced thereby will be secured by the action of the two sets of needles upon different portions or thread courses of a single continuous yarn through a knitting action involving in its cycle two complete revolutions of the cam cylinder, on each of which the needles have different, actions, whereby the loops in the thread courses are formed and interlocked together.

I claim 1, In a knitting machine, two sets of.needles, a rotary cam ring having stationary cam 'members providing two courses of travel, an adjustable cam .memberon the ring fhaving surfaces for cooperation [with 1 means for adjustingsaid adjustable cam to its ,different positions ,onalternate revolu- 2,1111 a knitting machine, two. sets of needles, provided withprojections of different lengths, a rotary cam ringhaving stationary can! members providing two courses of travel, anuadj ustable member on' the ring having surfaces foncoopera-tion with the Projections ofthe needles to take'difi'er ent couiseg and means for adjusting saidadjustableicam to its different positions .on

alternate revolutions of the cam-ring;

j a knitting machine,.twosets ofnee- .61 members arranged to provide two courses of travel',;,. an,,adjustable cam member on-the cam ring having cam surfaces of different a rotary cam ring having fixed cam -erative positions to respectively dispose its surfaces for action on alternate revolutions of the cam ring.

4. In a knitting machine, needles provided withlong and short butts, a rotary cam ring carrying cam surfaces arranged to provide two courses of travel for the needle butts, an adjustable cam member having cam surfaces of different extents of projection, said cam member being adjustable to project its surfaces relatively to the needle butts, means operative on each revolution of the cam cylinder for adjusting the adjustable cam to one Working position, and means operative through the aforementioned means on the succeeding rotation of the cylinder to move the adjustable cam member to a different working position.

5. In a knitting machine, two sets of needles respectively having short and long butts, a rotary cam cylinder carrying stationary cams providing different courses of travel for the needle butts, a controlling cam provided with two cam surfaces having different extents of projection, said controlling ca m being adjustable across the path of rotation of the needles, a stem connected with the cam, a star wheel revolubly mounted on the stem, a cam carried by the star wheel and having alternately disposed projections and recesses, a projection on the stem arranged to cooperate with said cam projections and recesses, a spring tensioned by the movement of the stem in one direction when the projections are in engagement, for shifting the stem in the reverse direction when the projection thereon engages the cam recesses, and means operative on each rotation of the cam cylinder for intermittently rotating the star wheel.

6. In a knitting machine, two sets of me dles, a rotary cam cylinder carrying stationary cams providing different courses of travel for the respective sets of needles, a controlling cam provided with two cam surfaces for cooperation with the respective sets of needles and the said stationary cams to adapt said sets of needles to take their different courses, a star wheel, means operative on each revolution of the cylinder for intermittently rotating the star wheel, means controlled by the star wheel for moving said controlling cam in one direction, and means set for action by the star wheel on such operation of the cam for shifting the cam in the opposite direction.

7 In a knitting machine, two sets of needles, a rotary cam cylinder carrying stationary cams providing different courses of travel for the respective sets of needles, an adjustable controlling cam movable into and out of the path of the needles, and provided with two cam surfaces of different extents of projection for cooperation with the respective sets of needles and said stationary cams to adapt said sets of needles to take their different courses, a star wheel having a cam surface, means for intermittently turning said wheel on each revolution of the cam ring, a member upon the adjustable cam for engagement with said cam surface of the star'wheel on alternate movements of the latter to effect projection of the adjustable cam, and means set into action on intervening movements of the star wheel to effect the retraction of the adjustable cam.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAMES H. GLENN. 

